Resolutions
by earthprincess4
Summary: *fandom4storms* Hard working Bella Swan is told to go to NYC by her pretentious boss for an important meeting on NYE. On the plane she meets Edward Cullen & her life changes in 1 night. Will she make a new resolution or go back to her unappreciative boss?


**Resolutions  
><strong>**Author: earthprincess4****  
><strong>**Rating: M****  
><strong>**Fandom: Twilight****  
><strong>**Pairing: Edward and Bella****  
><strong>**Summary: Hard working, Bella Swan, is told to go to NYC by her pretentious boss for an important meeting on New Year's Eve. On the plane she meets Edward Cullen and her life changes in one night. Will she make a new resolution or go back to her unappreciative boss?****  
><strong>**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or the characters involved. No copyright infringement intended.**

**What I wrote for Fandom For Storms**

I was sitting on a plane at LAX getting ready to take off for New York and already my anxiety was getting to me. Thankfully, the plane was fairly empty and I wasn't sharing my row of seats with anyone. Since it was the morning of New Year's Eve everyone was already where they wanted to be to bring in the New Year. However, I was sent out on a last minute business meeting to meet with some movie producer and a well known director in New York City tonight. My client, James, insisted it had to be tonight and I had to be the one to go. He had plans with his wife, Victoria, to celebrate and didn't want to be bothered with it.

I hated my boss for doing this to me. He just didn't want to be bothered with me knowing what tonight was. He knows I hate to fly, but ever since we sort of had a one night stand when we were in Chicago exactly one year ago, he has done everything in his power to make my life miserable. You'd think he would do everything to be nice to me so I'd keep my mouth shut, but it was the opposite. In all honestly, I think if I wasn't the best at what I do he'd probably fire me, but he knows he'd never make it without me. I made him who he is today.

James Grey is a huge movie star and actually kind of an idiot if it wasn't for me making him look better. I'm his agent. I literally run his entire life for him. If I left, he'd fall apart. The only reason I don't leave is because I need the job. My dad suffered a small stroke a few years ago and ever since then his health hasn't been the same. Doctor bills and special therapies are expensive. I need the money to keep my dad in the special care facility.

I never wanted to sleep with James. Even the thought of it now repulses me. We have always had a very strict working relationship, which I vowed to never cross with anyone. But, we were both a little drunk and he was excited about finishing the movie deal of his life– as he put it, and one thing led to another. I regret it more than anything I've ever done in my entire life. I hated myself for crossing that line with him, and I vowed after it happened I would never let it happen again with any other actor, especially him, for as long as I live. They were all the same, conceited bastards who think they can do whatever the hell they want without repercussions. The worst part was how he acted like it never happened and he went on with his happy little life with Victoria. I had nothing against Victoria but she was definitely in the dark to all of what James did. It was no secret to me James was a player and slept with random women when he wasn't at home. As far as Victoria knew he was a completely committed husband who only had eyes for her. Most of that was thanks to me for covering up all of James' affairs, including ours. Like I said, he'd never make it if it wasn't for me.

The flight attendant walked through the aisle to check everyone's seatbelts and make sure everything was put away properly before takeoff. I concentrated on my breathing techniques to calm my nerves. I've flown hundreds of times before, but it never got any easier. Psychiatrists, hypnotists, and every other person specializing in phobias all suggested the same thing, but they never worked as well as I would have hoped.

"Sir, you need to take a seat right away. We're about to take off," the flight attendant warned a man who was practically running down the aisle of the plane. His messy, bronze colored hair, and disheveled clothing looked as if he barely rolled out of bed.

"I know, I'm sorry," he apologized, continuing to run down the aisle. "I ran all the way here and I barely made it. My seat is right back there. I'm sitting right now."

He quickly plopped into the seat next to me and stuffed his backpack under the seat in front of him. Trying to ignore him, I took another deep breath and closed my eyes just as the plane began to move. My fists tightened around the arm of the seat and my breaths became even more erratic and faster.

"You don't like flying, do you?" the man sitting next to me asked, breaking my concentration.

I opened one eye glaring over at him and shook my head hastily. Before I even comprehended what he was doing he took my hand in his and pressed his thumb into a spot on my wrist.

"What are you doing?" I questioned, staring down at my hand in his with a confused expression.

"I'm trying to help you relax," he answered. "Believe me it works."

"By squeezing my wrist?" I asked.

"I'm not squeezing your wrist. I'm pressing on a pressure point. It'll help you relax during takeoff. Trust me."

I was about to jerk my hand away from him but the plane suddenly sped up and prepared for takeoff. I glued myself to my seat and shut my eyes as tightly as I could, preparing for the panic I always had to take over my body, but it didn't. Whatever this man sitting next to me was doing actually worked. The plane ascended into the sky and leveled out without me feeling sick or sweating profusely. I let out a sigh of relief and opened my eyes. The man was still holding my wrist and watching me with a strange look on his face. I quickly jerked my hand away from him and moved as close to the window as I could. He chuckled lightly and gave me a crooked smile.

"A thank you would have been better than to make me feel like I'm the plague," he complained.

"Thank you," I said quietly.

"You're welcome. I told you it would work."

"I guess it did work a little. I didn't go into hysterics this time."

He laughed and looked at me with a questioning stare. "You actually go into hysterics when you fly?"

"I have. I don't all the time. It all depends on how rough the takeoff or the landing is. This time wasn't too bad."

"Why do you fly if you don't like it?"

"It's kind of my job. I have to go to New York today to meet with some very important people," I explained.

"I see. Well, I guess we have something in common. I'm also flying to New York on business. I'm not really happy about it being on New Year's Eve, but I didn't have much of a choice."

"Me either."

"I'm Edward, by the way," he introduced holding out his hand towards me.

"Bella," I greeted shaking his hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Bella."

He gave me this crooked smile, which made me feel a little self-conscious. I turned away and pretended to be looking out the window.

"So," he began after a few moments of silence. I rolled my eyes and sort of huffed under my breath while staring out the window at the clouds. I hoped he wasn't some chatty passenger who talked your ear off all the way there, but I had a feeling he was. "How long are you planning to stay in New York?"

"Only as long as I have to," I answered vaguely.

"You aren't planning to enjoy the New Year's Eve celebration in New York?" he wondered.

"No," I laughed. "I don't really celebrate the start of a new year, or anything for that matter."

"You don't?" he questioned with a strange look on his face.

"Nope. I don't have a reason to. If all goes well I'll be back on a plane before it's even midnight."

"Seems kind of like a boring life, if you ask me," he theorized.

"Well no one asked you," I countered sharply.

"Forgive me for trying to be polite and have a conversation with a beautiful woman during this long flight," he said in return with the same sharp tone to his voice. It didn't go unnoticed he called me beautiful. I can't remember the last time someone said I was beautiful.

"Look, I just don't like talking to people I don't know when I'm stressed. Flying always makes me stressed and adding on the stress of this meeting I'm going to, it's making it a lot worse. I'm sorry if I'm coming off as a bitch, but I'm not in the mood to have small talk with some random guy on an airplane," I excused.

"Fair enough," he accepted. "I'll keep my mouth shut."

"Thank you."

I watched as he pulled out an iPod from his bag and stuck the ear buds in his ears. He leaned back in his seat closing his eyes and crossing his arms across his chest. Reading always relaxed me, so I pulled out my book from my bag and began to read silently. We avoided each other for most of the flight. About three hours into our flight, while I sat there reading my book, I began to hear him snoring next to me. I turned my head to watch him for a moment. His hair was still a mess and he had scruffiness growing across his face. It looked like he hadn't shaved in a couple days. There was a light sprinkling of freckles across his nose and cheeks. His mouth hung open while he snored forming an o with his plump and perfect shade of pink lips. I snickered as his snores got a little louder and his head fell to the side. A small bit of drool dripped out of his mouth causing me to laugh even more.

I tried to go back to reading my book, but his snoring was very distracting. Eventually I just couldn't handle it any longer without laughing even louder than I already was, so I elbowed him in an attempt to wake him. He stirred a little and mumbled something incoherent before turning his body to the side and going back to sleep. His snoring was even louder than it was before. I sighed trying again to ignore it. If I could get by him without disturbing him I would change seats. There were plenty to choose from. However, the only way I would be able to get by him was if he moved. I felt horrible for doing it but I shook his shoulder to wake him up.

"What?" he asked half asleep and sort of rudely. He yanked the ear buds from his ear and gave me a dirty look.

"I've been listening to you snore for the last hour," I explained.

"Excuse me for trying to get some sleep on this boring flight we're on. It's not like I have anything better to do."

"You're not in a very good mood when you wake up, are you?" I questioned playfully.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Do you all of a sudden want to talk to me, or do you just want to make fun of me?"

"I wasn't trying to make fun of you. I'm sorry. If talking prevents you from snoring and drooling on me, then sure," I offered.

"Good," he accepted, sitting up in his seat. "And I don't snore or drool."

"Uh, yeah you do," I giggled.

"I do not," he chuckled and turned slightly red from embarrassment.

"If you say so," I replied letting it go. Again he chuckled and hid his face. "So what are you planning to do in New York?"

"Well I have a job interview to go to, like I mentioned, and I'll probably go out tonight to celebrate and watch the ball drop in Time Square. You should come with me since we'll be in the same city and all."

"I don't get what the big deal is about New Year's Eve. It's not like anything ever changes. New Year's Eve is just an excuse for people to get drunk and act stupid."

He laughed and nodded his head in agreement. "I would have to agree with you there. It's still fun, though. Making New Year's resolutions and trying to keep them every year is a challenge but fun. We could have fun together."

"I don't make resolutions," I answered. "Resolutions always end up broken. They aren't a good thing to do if it's something you'll end up regretting."

"Resolutions can be a good thing if they're made for the right reasons," he retorted.

"I don't agree. I think it's a stupid custom and not worth the effort," I argued.

"You're a hard person to crack," he teased with a chuckle. "Why don't I take you to a New Year's Eve celebration and try to change your mind about New Year's being a stupid custom to celebrate?" he offered.

"I don't really care for parties. Every party I've been to, ended in disaster and regret."

"Well that's not good. Maybe it would be better for you not to attend any New Year's parties then."

I scoffed at his comment and shoved his shoulder playfully. He laughed and grinned hugely showing off his dazzling smile.

"I'm serious you know? I'm trying to ask you out, and you're kind of blowing me off every time. I think we could have fun together," he further prodded.

"I don't think so. I'm going to be pretty busy working, and the minute I can get on a return flight, I plan to. I probably won't be in New York more than a few hours if all goes well."

"Do you have a boyfriend back home you want to get back to?" he questioned.

I snickered and had to cover my mouth at his question. "No."

"Then what's the big deal with staying for a few more hours to go out and bring in the New Year properly? I've always watched the ball drop on TV, but I've never seen it live. It would be quite the experience."

"Edward, I don't want to watch the ball drop or celebrate New Year's. I actually despise this holiday and would rather forget it was New Year's all together. I'm sorry. You seem like a great guy, but I'm not the type to go somewhere with someone I just met. I think my father would kill me if he knew I was being that irresponsible."

"Is your dad protective of you?" he questioned.

"He used to be," I replied regretfully. "He was the police chief of my hometown. He had a small stroke a couple years ago though. He hasn't been himself since. I'm all he has so he needs me."

"I'm sorry about your dad. That must be really hard on you," he offered sympathetically.

"Yeah, well, it's just something I have to deal with." I brushed it off as nothing even though bringing up my dad suddenly made me feel sad.

"It sounds like you could use a night of entertainment to get your mind off of things," he further pressed.

"My work and taking care of my dad are all I can handle right now."

"It's not like I'm asking you to marry me. I'm just asking you to come join me for the festivities of the night."

"I said no."

"Alright," he said putting his hands up in defeat. "Forget I asked."

"So do you have any family?" I asked changing the subject.

"I have a very large family actually. I have an older brother and an older sister, who are both married. My sister, Alice just had her third child with her husband, Jasper, while my brother, Emmett and his wife, Rosalie are expecting their first. My parents couldn't be more proud. I guess you could say I'm the outcast of the family."

"Why the outcast?" I questioned.

"I won't conform to what my parents want. They wanted me to go to college and get a typical nine to five type job then get married and have kids. I didn't follow their plan so they get upset with me quite a bit. They don't think my dream will ever amount to anything constructive so they think I'm wasting my time."

"What is it you want to do?" I asked curiously.

He opened his mouth to begin to tell me when suddenly there was a ding of the intercom and the pilot's voice informed us we were beginning our descent into New York and needed to fasten our seatbelts. My heart quickly sped up and my breath became erratic as I shakily fastened my seatbelt. I swallowed thickly against my dry throat. Landing was probably worse than the takeoff. I gripped the armrest of the seat with both hands and attempted to steady my breath.

Once again, Edward reached for my hand and pressed his thumb against the inside of my wrist. Instantly there was a calmness that came over me. I let out a long and relaxing breath while closing my eyes.

"Just relax," he breathed calmly. "There's nothing to fear. You're safe right here." His soothing voice really did help me relax. I didn't even notice the landing and was actually surprised when we were informed we could now retrieve our luggage and exit the plane.

"We're already here?" I asked.

"Yep," he replied releasing my wrist and standing to his feet. "I told you there was nothing to be worried about." He extended his hand for mine to help me up. I grabbed my bag and took his hand. He stood back and politely let me walk out in front of him.

Once we were both safely in the terminal we stopped and glanced at each other awkwardly.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Bella," he said. "Thanks for keeping me company on the plane."

"It was very nice meeting you too. Good luck on your job interview," I offered.

He smiled and tossed his backpack over his shoulder. "Good luck to you too. I hope your meeting goes well and you're able to get back to LA before midnight."

"Thank you. And thanks again for helping me on the plane. I really appreciate you showing me that little trick."

"Not a problem. See you later, Bella." He walked away leaving me alone in the terminal. A part of me questioned if maybe I should have accepted his offer to celebrate, but I had a job to do. I quickly threw my bag over my shoulder and walked towards the exit. I hailed a cab and had the driver drive me to my hotel. It took forever to get there with so many streets already closed in preparation for the festivities. I wanted to take a quick shower before my meeting, but it wasn't looking like I was going to have time.

"Here we are, Miss," the driver announced parking the car in front of my hotel.

"Thanks," I said, throwing the cab fair at him and quickly getting out of the car. I checked in and went straight to my room. I didn't have time to take a shower so I just did my best to fix my hair and make-up and changed into a cream colored dress. For being New Year's Eve and New York it was unusually warm, which was nice. I brushed my teeth and sprayed a little perfume on before rushing out of the hotel room. I pushed the button of the elevator, and while I waited for the doors to open I searched through the portfolio in my hand for the address of the place I was supposed to go.

"Bella?" a familiar voice motioned. My head popped up and standing there in the elevator in front of me was Edward.

"Edward?" I questioned laughing at the coincidence of being in the same hotel. I stepped into the elevator and pushed the button for the first floor.

"Are you staying in this hotel also?" he asked.

"Yeah, I am," I answered laughing.

"What a strange coincidence," he laughed. "Must be fate for us to be together tonight?"

"I doubt that," I countered. "It's just a hotel. Anyway, I need to get to my meeting. Have a good night, Edward."

I rushed through the lobby and hailed yet another cab to take me to my meeting. I hated meeting with producers and directors without James. I wasn't who they wanted to see, but James being the pompous prick he is thought he was too famous to have to meet with producers and directors anymore. There was no reason for him to audition. If they wanted him for their movie they knew what to expect. Which in all honesty was probably true, but some producers and directors are old fashioned when it comes to these types of things.

"I hope you aren't trying to get to anything important, Miss. It's almost impossible to get around town with the crowd already gathering," the cab driver warned.

"Just get there as quickly as possible please," I ordered. We travelled at a snail's pace down the busy streets. I was already ten minutes late. "How much farther?"

"Well, we're only about four blocks away, but with the traffic it might take a good twenty minutes to get there," the driver answered.

"You know what, I think I'm going to walk from here," I informed, taking out some money from my purse and handing it to him. "Thanks for the ride." I stepped out of the cab and walked to the sidewalk. I had a pretty good idea where I needed to go, and I knew I could probably get there a lot faster by walking than waiting for traffic.

After a five minute walk I reached the building and rode the elevator up to the eleventh floor. I walked down the hallway and met with a short statured woman who asked me to wait in the hallway until I was called back.

I rolled my eyes and sighed heavily at the thought of waiting. My meeting was supposed to be ten minutes ago. What exactly was I waiting for?

"Isabella Swan, Mr. Aro will see you now," the secretary announced. I smoothed out my skirt and brushed my hair off my shoulders before walking in. Just as I was walking in, Edward was walking out. My eyes were wide with confusion. Why was he here? Edward's expression told me he was thinking the same thing.

"Come on in, Miss Swan," Mr. Aro demanded. I walked past Edward and stepped into the office closing the door behind me.

"Mr. Aro, it's a pleasure to meet you," I greeted walking towards him with an extended hand. I introduced myself to the other man in the room who told me he was Mr. Ciaus the producer for the movie.

"You represent James Grey, correct?" Mr. Aro questioned.

"Yes Sir, I do."

"And where is James?"

"He wasn't able to make it due to a previous engagement. He sent me in his place to meet with you and take care of all the formalities and contracts."

"Interesting," he mused. "First I have an actor come in with absolutely no representation, and then I have an agent come in without her actor. It's been an odd day." He walked around his desk, sitting down in his seat and jotting down a few things on a piece of paper. "Well, I'm sorry to inform you but I haven't made my final choice. I was actually expecting James to be here for an audition. I had no idea he was planning to send his agent. Obviously you can't do the audition in his place so I guess this meeting is over."

"Wait, are you trying to tell me James won't be getting the part because he didn't show up? You do know who James Grey is, don't you? He's a huge star and will make this movie a success if you sign him on for the part. There really is no need for an audition. James is a wonderful actor who has read the script you sent him and loves the character. He is very excited about this role and has every intention of making it his best yet." I did the best I could pitching James to Mr. Aro. I hoped he bought it and would consider James for the roll. "I brought his extensive portfolio as well as a video with some of his best work compiled for you to look at." I walked over and placed it on the desk in front of him.

"You do realize who _I am_, don't you?" he questioned with a raised eyebrow. "I know full well who James Grey is and I'd love for him to be a part of this project, but I don't know if I can depend on him if he can't even show up for a little audition."

"He's very trustworthy, Sir. He would have been here himself if it weren't for the prior engagement he couldn't get out of."

"And what is this prior engagement he had?" he wondered.

I racked my brain trying to come up with a good enough lie to make it sound better than the truth would. Unfortunately, I was horrible at lying.

"He had to do some reshoots for a movie he just finished up. He couldn't get out of it."

"Hmm," he hummed in return almost acting as if he didn't believe me. If he knew James' work schedule at all, he probably knew I was lying. James hasn't worked on a movie in nearly a year.

"If you need him to come I'm sure I can get him on a plane in the morning. He could be here tomorrow afternoon at the latest."

"I don't think that will necessary. I'm familiar enough with James' work. It's actually why I wanted him for this roll. However, there are other people I'm considering, so I can't give you a definite answer yet. I'll think it over tonight and give you a call in the morning with my decision. If I need him to come out I'll let you know."

"Alright," I accepted, again reaching my hand out towards him to shake. He never took my hand, though. "It was a pleasure meeting you both, and I hope to hear from you soon." I walked out of the office feeling like I had just let James down. He needed this role. It had been so long since he had a role in anything. I feared directors and producers were getting tired of his antics and didn't want to work with him anymore, even if he was good.

I took the elevator down to the first floor and walked outside to find Edward standing there waiting for me. As soon as he saw me he quickly jumped to stand in front of me.

"Are you following me?" I asked with questioning eyes.

"No," he laughed. "Are you auditioning for a part in a movie also?"

"God, no. I'm not an actor, I'm an agent. James Grey's agent, to be exact."

"Why didn't you tell me you were an agent?" he asked.

"You didn't ask. Why didn't you tell me you were an actor? You said you were coming to New York for a job interview."

"Well it is kind of like a job interview," he answered beginning to walk down the sidewalk with me. "I just didn't want you to know what I was coming to New York for. Every time I tell a woman what it is I do they start questioning what movies or TV shows I've been in. At first they get excited and start hanging all over me, until they find out I haven't exactly done anything big. I've only had a few extra roles in a couple TV shows and I did a couple commercials. I haven't exactly had any speaking roles yet. I heard about this part and decided I'd take a chance. I emailed the producer and pretty much begged him to give me a shot. He said if I could get here today, and audition for Mr. Aro, he'd see what he could do. I'm not even looking for the starring role, I just want something."

"Well Mr. Aro is obviously a hard man to please. I wouldn't get your hopes up," I warned.

"If I'm up against James Grey then I don't think I have a shot at anything," he chuckled as we continued to walk.

"I'm not sure even James has a shot at this point," I revealed. "Mr. Aro wasn't pleased about James not showing up for the audition and told me he will have to think about it. So, it looks like getting on a plane tonight is out of the question. I'll at least be here for the night."

"Then why don't I take you out to dinner?" he offered.

"I don't think so," I declined.

"Come on, Bella. I'd love to get some pointers from you. It's only dinner. Besides, it has to be better than ordering room service and sitting in a lonely hotel room watching a sappy chick flick."

I stopped and stared at him with a quizzical look.

"You're wondering how I knew all that aren't you?" he asked with a playful smirk on his face. "You aren't hard to read. The little you told me on the plane, and the little I've picked up on from running into you, tells me quite a bit about the type of person you are."

"Then enlighten me, Edward. What kind of person am I?" I questioned in a teasing manner.

"Come to dinner with me and I'll tell you?" he prodded.

I smiled and bit my lip. "Fine," I accepted. "You're persistence has paid off. I'll go to dinner with you."

The grin on his face when I finally accepted told me he was far too excited for this. I walked with him down the sidewalk to a small out of the place diner. I almost didn't want to go in. It's not like I was expecting some four star restaurant, but this place kind of scared me.

"They have the most amazing Belgian Waffles here," he informed holding the door open for me.

"You do realize it's dinnertime and not breakfast, right?" I asked, giggling at his suggestion of waffles for dinner.

"Who says you can't have breakfast for dinner?" he countered. "Look, you can order whatever you want, I'm just saying the waffles are the best and you're definitely missing out if you don't order them."

"I'll have to look over the menu to decide." He chuckled as he led me to a booth and we sat down. A waitress walked over and handed us menus and took our drink order. I studied the menu while Edward sat there with his closed on the table. I peaked over the edge of the menu and caught him staring at me with a smirk on his face.

"I forfeit. I'll get the waffles," I agreed, rolling my eyes at his pleased expression. I placed the menu down in front of me and took a sip of the drink the waitress just placed in front of me.

"What can I get ya?" she asked.

"Two Belgian waffle specials," Edward ordered.

I leaned forward and placed my elbows on the table leaning my chin against my palms. "So, you said you would tell me what kind of person I am if I went to dinner with you. I'm waiting."

"Well, it's not an exact science but from what I know so far, you are a very determined and strong person. You hate James, you hate New Year's Eve, and I'm almost certain those two things play in to each other. You keep yourself guarded and don't really care talking about yourself which is odd for a woman. You also don't care to fly which I find unusual since it's a huge part of your career."

I nodded my head and smirked at his observation. "Not bad."

"You want to know the most important thing I can see?" he asked with a serious tone.

I gave him a peculiar look while taking another drink.

"I think it was fate for us to meet."

I laughed, nearly spitting my drink out at his response. "What makes you think that?"

"Think about it, Bella. We end up sitting right next to each other on a plane where there were plenty of empty seats, we end up staying at the same hotel, and we end up at the same audition. We were meant to meet tonight."

"So what exactly is this fateful meeting supposed to mean?" I asked playing along.

"I don't know. I just know it's not all a coincidence. I'm almost positive if we walked away from each other right now we'd probably end up at the same place once again."

"Do you want to try?" I asked playfully. He smirked and stared deep into my eyes.

"After we eat," he accepted just as the food was placed in front of us. My mouth hung open as I realized he never saw the waitress coming up behind him but somehow he knew.

He indulged in the waffle in front of him while I still stared at him in astonishment. "How did you know she was coming?"

"I'm very perceptive to my surroundings. I heard the cook yell that the waffle specials were ready and then I heard her footsteps coming up behind me." He laughed noticing the strange expression I had on my face. "Don't worry, I'm not some psychic who can read your thoughts or see your energy or something. I'm just an average guy who is trying to impress you."

"I'm not easily impressed," I said, finally taking a bite of my waffle.

"I'm becoming aware of that fact," he laughed.

"I am however, impressed by the waffles. You're right, this is really good."

"My mission in life is complete. I've impressed you with waffles," he joked throwing his fork down on his plate and putting his hands up in the air.

"Shut up," I laughed.

"So, I have to ask," he began seriously. "What's it like working for James Grey? He seems like a pompous ass when I see him in interviews. I always wonder if that's just an act or if it's actually how he is."

"Oh, believe me, you're seeing the true James shine through. He's as pretentious on camera as he is in real life."

"Then why work for him?" he questioned.

"I need the money. I get paid pretty well running his life for him even if it does prevent me from living my own."

His eyebrows furrowed at my comment like he was questioning my answer. "What is he preventing you from doing?"

I sighed and looked down at my food. "I just don't get to see my dad very often. It comes with the job, but it's definitely the hardest part about it."

"I know what you mean. Ever since I told my family I was moving to LA to pursue an acting career they've pretty much cut me out of their lives. My dad thought I was throwing my life away, my mom was sure I was going to end up doing porn for a living, which I haven't if you're wondering, and my siblings are so wrapped up in their own lives we don't really talk much anymore."

"Is it worth it?" I asked.

His head jerked up and he gave me a questioning look while he thought it over. "I don't know. I guess if I make it big and actually land a role in something I'll have a better idea about whether it's worth it or not. Right now I'm just trying to make sense about what I want to do with my life. They all live their lives the way they want and I want that same option. Being an actor is always something I've wanted to do. I know it's literally impossible to break into the film industry, but I wanted to try. I told myself I'd give it two years and if nothing major happened then I'd go on to something else."

"How long has it been?" I asked.

He laughed bashfully and ducked his head. "Almost four," he admitted.

I laughed. "What happened to two years?"

He shrugged taking a sip from his drink. "I guess I just can't seem to let go of a dream. Actually coming out here was my last shot. If I don't get anything worth continuing for, I'm going to quit. I think, anyway."

I snickered and shook my head. "No one can say you aren't persistent."

"I just want to prove to my family I didn't waste my life going after an impossible dream for nothing, you know? I want them to be proud of me again."

"Well I hope you get your big break," I offered.

"Even if that means I take James' spot in this movie?" he asked. "Not that I think there's any chance of it happening, I'm just asking if by chance it did would you still think the same way?"

"Yeah, I would," I answered honestly. "James will get another role, and he'll still be an ass. You deserve to get your chance."

He smiled proudly and nodded his head in acceptance.

After we finished eating and Edward paid the bill we walked back outside. "All right, now for that test," Edward reminded. "This is what I want you to do. Get a cab and go to any bar in the city you want. Wait there for an hour. If I haven't shown up by then, go back to your hotel."

"Are you sure you want to do this? You really don't have anything to prove."

"Honestly, I'm a little curious myself if we'll both end up at the same bar. Humor me," he requested.

I shrugged my shoulders and shook my head at his silly request. "Any bar in New York city?" I questioned. "Do you know how many bars there are in New York?"

"Yep, so I really need to get started."

"Okay." I jumped into the waiting taxi and drove off, leaving him on the side of the curb. I asked the driver to take me to the one and only bar I'd ever been to in New York, which wasn't too far from the hotel in case I did need to return. Instead of going inside I waited outside to see if Edward actually did show up.

I waited a good forty-five minutes and still he didn't show up. I obsessively looked at my watch and continued to stare down the sidewalk waiting for him to come.

"You know the bar is a lot better when you're inside," he said behind me. I jumped and turned around with a shock running through me. I couldn't believe he'd actually found me within an hour. It was preposterous to even think it was possible. Maybe he was right about this being fate or something.

"How?" I questioned lost for words. He just smirked and took my hand to lead me into the bar. We sat down at a small table and still I stared at him with questioning eyes.

"Can I see some ID?" a waitress asked. We both pulled out our licenses and handed them over. She studied them for a moment before placing them back on our table and taking our drink order.

Edward reached over and picked up my license from the table looking it over for a minute then placed it back down. "You're really twenty-six?" he asked.

"Yes, why?" I asked defensively while picking up my license and sticking it back in my purse.

"You're older than I thought you were."

"Really?" I questioned sarcastically. I reached over and picked up his license from the table the same way he did to mine. "Well how old are you?"

Our drinks were place in front of us as I studied his license. "You're only twenty-two?" I asked nearly gasping at his young age. "You're barely legal. You must have left home for LA the minute you turned eighteen. No wonder your parents were so upset."

He laughed and shook his head. "They would have been upset regardless of what age I was when I left. They just think I'm wasting my time and I'm going to be corrupted in the big city. It hasn't happened yet so I don't think they have anything to worry about."

"I have to know, Edward. How did you know where I would be?" I asked placing his license back on the table.

"You don't believe in fate?" he asked.

"I didn't, but maybe I need to," I replied.

He laughed. "I have a confession to make. I didn't actually find you by chance. I waited a while then grabbed a cab and asked them to take me to the same place your cab just went. All I needed was the cab number and they were able to contact each other to find out where you went."

"So you cheated?" I accused.

"I didn't cheat, I just know how to break rules," he argued. I shoved him playfully and laughed at his idiotic response.

"You almost had me fooled. I would have bought it being fate or some cosmic power for us to be together tonight if you didn't tell me the truth. Did you do the same thing at the airport and even at the hotel? Is that why we ended up at all the same places?"

"No, I didn't follow you. Those times were actually a coincidence. This is the only time I actually followed you. Although, I still think even if I hadn't "cheated" we would have ended up at the same place. I still think it's fate."

"I think you're a little strange for believing in fate," I admitted.

"Like I haven't heard before that I'm a little strange. I was told that all through high school and I still pretty much hear it on a daily basis now. So thanks for being today's lucky observer of how strange I am," he joked.

I snickered at his behavior and went back to drinking my girly, fruity drink while he drank a beer from the tap.

"Do you want another drink?" he asked.

"No, one is my limit. If I drink more than that I usually end up doing something I regret."

"Do you want to dance, or I don't know, we could go to a karaoke bar somewhere. Maybe we could even go to Time Square and bring in the New Year," he offered.

"No dancing, I'd end up falling on my face. And absolutely no karaoke, you don't want to hear me sing."

"What about Time Square? It might be fun to watch the ball drop," he suggested.

"I don't know. I don't care for New Year's."

"I know you said that, but it might be different if you're with the right person."

"Oh, and are you the right person?" I asked playfully.

"I'm better than James aren't I?" he asked with his eyes focused on the rim of his beer bottle. My eyes narrowed as I stared across the table at him.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked suspiciously.

"I'm just saying I wouldn't treat you as badly as he likely does, and I'd like to think you wouldn't regret spending time with me."

I pushed his comments aside and cleared my throat before grabbing my purse and standing to my feet to inform him I thought it was time for me to get back to my hotel.

He stood to his feet and followed me out of the bar. "I'm not going to let you walk back to the hotel in this crowd by yourself. We're staying at the same place so we can walk together," he offered.

"I was planning to just take a cab," I said.

"You'll never make it back if you take a cab. Just let me walk you," he offered.

I smiled and accepted his gesture. We walked relatively slowly down the sidewalk until we got closer to the crowd of people surrounding the city.

"I'm only going to ask one last time. There's only about fifteen minutes until midnight and we're so close already. Come with me, and as soon as the ball drops we'll go straight back to the hotel. We'll be gone at the most a half an hour. You don't want me to go out there by myself do you? Please?" he begged.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head at his persistence. "All right, but as soon as we see the ball drop I want to go back to the hotel. I need to be ready for tomorrow in case Mr. Aro calls with a final decision."

"Fair enough," he agreed. "Come on." He put out his hand gesturing for me to take it. I slipped my small hand into his warm, strong hand and let him lead me out towards the crowd of people gathering in Time Square. We were nowhere near the center, but we still had a pretty good view. We laughed at the crazy, drunk people jumping around and screaming with excitement. I was so thankful I wasn't as drunk as they were. Edward held my hand tightly as we weaved our way through the crowd.

"This is an iconic moment in our lives and we'll never forget it," Edward announced with so much excitement and joy in his voice. I watched him with a prideful expression. He was in a way right, this was kind of an important event and something I was absolutely positive I'd never forget. This would be something I could tell my grandkids about someday. Who knows if they'll still do this tradition years from now, but it's still something exciting.

As the clock got closer to midnight the crowd got even more wild and loud with excitement. I stood almost chest to chest with Edward. His arm wrapped around my waist to keep me close to him.

"This is probably the craziest thing I've ever experienced," I shouted over the crowd towards Edward.

"Me too," he shouted back. "But I'm glad you agreed to come with me. It means so much more that you're here with me." His eyes burned into mine in an intense stare. I stared back with the same intenseness not even caring about the consequences of what might be happening between us.

Suddenly the countdown began to roar through the crowd and loud booms from fireworks began to go off. We both joined in on the countdown with the rest of the crowd to bring in the New Year.

"Twelve… Eleven… Ten… Nine… Eight... Seven... Six... Five... Four... Three... Two... One... Happy New Year!" We shouted in unison with the crowd. I was even jumping in my spot as the excitement took over my senses.

I glanced up at Edward, who instead of a happy expression on his face had a serious, almost worried expression. I stopped my cheering wondering what was wrong with him. I saw him swallow hard and move a little closer to me. His hand rose to cup my cheek before he leaned in and pressed his warm, wet lips to mine in a soft kiss. I gently placed my hands against his chest allowing him to kiss me. This was exactly what I vowed to never let happen again, but at this moment I didn't care.

When we finally did break he stared into my eyes questioning whether I was going to be upset or not. "It is tradition to kiss someone on New Year's," he reminded. "I like traditions."

"Do you?" I asked with a playful smile on my face. "I don't think I mind this tradition much."

He smirked at my response and leaned in to steal another kiss.

"I guess I should get you back to the hotel now," he reminded while pulling away from me and taking my hand in his. I followed him closely through the crowd and towards the hotel. During the entire walk back I questioned whether this was the right thing to do. I did vow to never let this happen again. However, that was with James not Edward. Edward wasn't the typical actor I was accustomed to. He was humble and attentive. On the other hand he was James' competition whether he really thought he was or not. I'm supposed to support James and not the competition. However, James doesn't control me, and I'm free to live my life the way I want to. I liked Edward. He made me laugh, he was sweet and charming, he was persistent and driven, and he wasn't a conceited bastard like James.

We reached the hotel and walked through the lobby to the elevator. Edward never did let go of my hand, which didn't bother me at all. When we reached my floor he walked me down the hall to my door still unwilling to let go of my hand. When I slid the key card to unlock the door, he pulled me into his arms once again and kissed me with a forcefulness I wasn't expecting. I was pressed up against the door as our kissing became more frantic and consuming. I fumbled with the doorknob to get the door open. I pushed it open and stumbled inside, never breaking the kiss. Edward shut the door behind me and locked it before walking me farther into the room.

His hot, frenzied breaths washed over me as I pulled his shirt from his pants and quickly worked my fingers across the buttons. He reached behind me and slid the zipper of my dress down my back. His hands slowly made their way to my shoulders. He stopped kissing me for a moment as he pushed the dress off of my shoulders, letting it fall to my feet. My erratic breaths were causing me to be lightheaded, but I stood strong as his eyes gazed across my body. His lips collided with mine once again while his hands grabbed my ass and picked me up with such ease and carried me to the bed. He gently laid me down before standing up to remove his pants and his shoes. I giggled as he fumbled with his socks and nearly fell over. He had a coy smile on his face as he crawled over top of me.

"I guess I'm not as stealth as I used to be," he joked.

"Stealth, huh?" I teased.

He laughed before leaning in to kiss me again and brushing his hands across my body. As wrong as it might have been, it felt so right. I trailed my lips across his shoulder and neck eliciting a sexy moan from his lips. It had been a long time since I'd been with a man and it felt good to know I could still arouse him in such a way.

His lips trailed across my skin causing me to shiver from the sensation. Our lips consumed each other so passionately and possessively. He couldn't take his mouth away from my skin.

"You have no idea, how amazing this is," he groaned against my breast. All I could manage was a moan as my body wriggled below him. "You are so beautiful." He sucked my pert nipple into his warm mouth, swirling his tongue around the tip and roamed his hands down my thighs lifting one leg at a time up from the back of my leg. "I've never known anyone as beautiful as you. I feel like I'm in a dream."

"Edward, shut up," I ordered breathlessly as I arched my body into him. He chuckled against my skin before suckling my breast and massaging the other. Our bodies began to rock back and forth causing intense friction between us before he even entered me. Our lips met once again as we moaned and panted into each other's mouth.

With a slow and steady pace his dick inched its way into me causing me to gasp from the intrusion to my sensitive area, which hadn't been touched in such a way for a year.

"Are you okay?" he groaned barely able to withstand the tightness around him. His face was contorted in such a way I thought he might begin to cry.

"Yeah," I breathed. "Are you?" He nodded his head and hummed in response as he began to move back and forth. Our already frenzied bodies only took a few minutes to come undone. I squealed so loudly as the orgasm overtook my body and my entire body tightened around him. I'd never felt so satisfied by a man in all my life. I don't know what it was about him, but he just felt magnificent inside of me. As he came deep inside of me, I wrapped my legs around him unwilling to let the sensation of having him inside of me go just yet. Our heated bodies were slick against each other as we kiss, coming down from the orgasms we both had experienced. After a few minutes he rolled off of me and laid next to me on the pillow with his hand resting on my stomach.

Feeling completely spent, I rolled over on my side. A satisfied smile spread across my face as he left open mouthed kisses along the back of my neck and shoulder.

After coming out of my post orgasmic state and realizing what exactly it was I had done, I began to feel guilt, regret, and shame. What had I just done?

"I don't normally do this," I blurted while he still continued to kiss my body.

He chuckled wrapping his arm around my stomach a little tighter. "Do you think I do?"

"I just… I vowed a year ago I would never sleep with an actor ever again. I shouldn't have done this."

He tugged on me to roll over to my back so he could look at me. I willingly rolled over and nervously looked up at his confused face.

"What do you mean you vowed to never sleep with an actor again?" he questioned pensively.

I decided I needed to just tell him the truth so this could be quick and simple. Once I told him, he could leave and not have any concern for sleeping with me and leaving. "I slept with James a year ago today. It was a stupid drunken mistake on both our parts and I never wanted to be put in a position again where I was the one-night stand for the egotistical actor who thinks he can fuck whoever he wants and get away with it. I broke that vow tonight."

My finger roughly brushed through my hair, as I thought more about how messed up this was.

"Do you see me as one of those types of actors?" he asked with a hurt expression.

"No," I assured, pulling my hand away from my hair and placing it against his cheek. "You're nothing like James or any of the other actors I know. But it's only a matter of time before you're corrupted by the fame, just like everyone else, and you regret sleeping with some random woman you barely know who works for the competition."

"That won't happen," he promised, shaking his head and brushing his hand across my stomach.

"Yes it will. It's better if we walk away now and pretend like this never happened. You can leave and I won't bother you."

"Look," he began sighing in frustration. "I'm not even an official actor and I may never be. You can't instantly label me as some douche bag just because of one mistake you made over a year ago. I like you, Bella, a lot. I know we don't know each other very well, and I'm pretty much the enemy where James is concerned, but I can't help thinking this all happened for a reason. We were supposed to meet and supposed to be together tonight. I think you needed this. You needed someone to make you feel good about yourself and to make you feel good sexually. I'm not going to apologize for tonight or forget it ever happened. I enjoyed tonight very much. Not just the sex, either. The entire night, spending time with you and having fun with you. This has been one of the most amazing nights of my life, and I'm hoping there might be more of them. I'm not asking anything of you except to enjoy tonight with me."

"I just don't want you to wake up in the morning out of your drunken state and realize you made a huge mistake," I further argued.

"I'm not drunk, Bella. I really didn't have that much to drink," he explained. "Besides, even if I did walk away right now, I'd bet you ninety-nine percent probability we would end up on the same plane in the morning."

I laughed at his theory. Part of me believed it was more than likely to be true. His fingers delicately brushed against my cheekbone before leaning in to kiss me and pull me close to him. His closeness caused me to forget all about the complicated conversation we were just having.

"Let's make a new resolution," he suggested after we broke from the kiss. He traced the hairline at my forehead with his fingers, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "I'll promise to never be corrupted, if by chance I ever do make it as an actor, and you promise to be by my side to remind me not to become that person who you hate now."

I smiled up at him, biting the side of my cheek. The undertones of wanting to be in a relationship for longer than just a one night stand didn't go unnoticed.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer. "I think I might like that resolution," I whispered against his lips. I could feel him smile as our lips collided in a fervent kiss once again.

I could make this work. I could keep my personal life and my work separate even if they did sometimes coincide with each other. As long as James didn't know I was basically sleeping with the enemy, there was no harm done.

I fell asleep in his arms feeling completely safe and free from all worries and stresses. I felt like I was in a different world when I was in his arms. Nothing could hurt us. Or so I thought.

In the morning I was awoken by a shrill ringing noise. I groaned as I crawled out of Edward's arms and reached across to answer the hotel phone sitting on the nightstand.

"Hello," I answered half asleep still.

"Where have you been?" the familiar voice of James asked. I instantly rolled my eyes and sighed into the phone. "I've been trying to get a hold of you for an hour now."

"I was sleeping, James. Give me a break."

"Do you even realize it's almost one o'clock there?" he asked in an irritated voice.

"So?" I questioned. "You do realize I'm still on the west coast time zone, right? Just because it's one o'clock here doesn't mean my body knows that."

"You don't ever sleep in that late, even when you're on the west coast."

"It was New Year's Eve. I stayed up late to celebrate," I excused. Edward's arms reached out for me and pulled me closer to him.

"I didn't send you to New York to party. I sent you there to work," he scolded.

"You don't control everything I do, James. If I want to have a little fun on my own time it's none of your business," I argued

"It is my business if I lose a roll because of your irresponsibility," he retorted. "Mr. Aro has already called me looking for you so he can let you know about my part in the movie."

"Well why can't he talk to you about it? It is you who is acting in it," I wondered sitting up and grabbing clothes off the floor. I needed to actually do my job now.

"He said he needed to talk to my agent about the arrangements, not me. You need to get your ass in gear and do what I pay you to do," he ordered.

"Alright," I agreed. "I'll call him right now and find out what's going on." I hung up the phone and quickly pulled on my clothes from the night before.

"I take it back," Edward said from behind me, finally awake and sitting up in the bed. "I think you need to make a resolution to kick that guy in the balls. I'm sorry, but I could kind of overhear what he was saying and he's a jerk to you, Bella. You don't deserve to be treated like that."

"Yeah, well. Since this time last year he's been this way. It's his way of making sure I remember my place. I'm not up to his status so he treats me like shit," I explained while I searched the room for my cell phone.

Finally finding it, I see there are a couple missed calls from Mr. Aro as well as a few from James. I listen to the messages from Mr. Aro asking me to call him right away.

I dial the number and sit down in a chair across the room while Edward gets up to put his clothes.

"Hello, Mr. Aro, this is Bella Swan, we met yesterday concerning James being the lead in your movie," I said into the phone after he answered.

"Ah, yes, Bella. I've been waiting for your call. I wanted to let you know that we have decided to go with a different actor for the starring role."

"I see," I sighed into the receiver letting my entire body sag in disappointment. As much as I hated James, I needed him to land this role. If he didn't work I didn't get paid.

"I think I should explain why exactly we came to our decision," he continued. "We aren't willing to work with actors who think they can just roll in whenever they feel like it because they have something else better to do. We want reliable actors for this movie. We want to be able to work with the actors in a partnership. If James got the role he would probably end up trying to control everything about the process instead of letting the director give him direction. This is what the last director who worked with him told us about his working style. James has become one of those diva type actors that no one wants to work with anymore. I think it would be a wise decision to discuss this with your client; otherwise, he's going to be a washed up actor within a year."

"I understand, Sir. I will talk to him and try to get him straightened out. I do hope you'll still consider him for future projects."

"We will have to see how things go," he offered. "Thank you for taking the time to fly out here on behalf of your client. I apologize for the wasted trip."

My eyes roamed across the room to the man sitting on the edge of my bed scrubbing his hands across his face in an attempt to wake himself up.

My face lit up in a smile and my heart skipped a beat as I watched him. "I don't think it was a wasted trip, Sir. I think it was exactly what I needed."

"I'm glad to hear that. I do hope to work with you at another time, Bella. You were a wonderful representative for James."

"Thank you, Sir." I hung up the phone and let out the breath I was holding. Now I had to figure out how to call James to tell him he didn't get the part.

I slowly dialed the number and waited for him to answer.

"So," he asked without any sort of greeting or politeness at all.

"I'm sorry, James. They gave the part to someone else."

"What?" he shouted.

"Mr. Aro said he didn't want to work with an arrogant actor and wanted someone fresh and new to take on this part."

"He's hiring an amateur over a seasoned actor?" he questioned with an angry tone.

"I don't know who exactly he's hiring for the part. All I know is he didn't want to work with you."

"Damn it, Bella. What do I pay you for if you can't even do your job right? I should have handled it myself and made you stay behind. You're no good for anything," he scolded causing my blood to boil.

"Maybe you should have. Mr. Aro was looking for an audition, not an agent."

"I don't need to audition. He knows what I'm capable of. Actors like myself don't need to audition anymore, we are just begged to be in movies and get paid big bucks to do so," he argued.

"Then why exactly are you not getting roles?" I asked getting angry at his tone of voice and what he was saying. "No one is begging you to be in their movie. You aren't one of "those actors". You're an arrogant jerk who thinks he's hot shit and can do whatever the hell he wants. Well, today you got your first dose of reality. You're washed up, and until you realize that you're never going to get the roles you want."

"How dare you," he seethed. I could hear his voice dripping with anger even through the phone. In all honesty it felt good for him to finally get his just desserts. He deserved to be on the short end of the stick. "It's not me who's screwing up it's my dumb bitch of an agent. If she knew how to do her job correctly I wouldn't be in this mess."

Suddenly the phone was ripped from my hand and Edward brought it to his hear. "Look, I've had about enough of your verbal abuse of a woman who has made you who you are today. She doesn't deserve that treatment and you definitely don't deserve her." Edward hit the end button and tossed the phone onto the bed before pulling at his hair in absolute frustration.

"What was that about?" I asked with a small giggle to my voice.

"I'm sorry. I just couldn't take him talking to you like that anymore. His voice echoed through the phone and I could hear his every word. You don't deserve to be treated like that. You made him who he is today and he should be thanking you for every little step you've taken to get him where he is."

"I'm not sure I want that compliment. I don't want to be known as the one who made him into a pompous ass."

"I didn't mean that part of him. He did that to himself. You made him successful. However, I think his luck has finally run out," he said with a small smirk.

I got up and walked towards him. I straddled his lap and ran my fingers down his back. His large hands cupped my ass perfectly as we kissed. Slowly, he raised the shirt above my head leaving me in nothing once again. His eyes trailed across my body as he moaned pleasantly.

"This is a great way to start the day," he said squeezing my breasts.

"Is it?" I asked playfully. In a sudden jolt he flipped me over onto my back causing me to squeal. His lips assaulted mine in an intense kiss.

We were suddenly interrupted by another phone ringing making both of us groan in frustration. Thankfully, this time it wasn't mine. Edward reached for his jeans lying on the floor and pulled out his cell phone to answer. I got up and went to the bathroom to splash some water on my face and attempt to tame my hair while he was on the phone.

"Bella," he whispered at the open door. I turned to see his strange expression. "I need your help. That was Mr. Aro on the phone. He wants to hire me for the part and I need to come in within the hour to discuss the details. I don't know what I'm supposed to ask for or how much is too little or too much. Could you give me a little advice?"

Suddenly, I got the greatest idea. "I can do more than give you advice. How about I go with you as your agent representation?" I offered.

"Seriously?" he questioned with a skeptical expression.

"Why not? You're going to need some sort of representation now; otherwise, you'll get lost among the hundreds of other actors all fighting for the same roles. I'm good at what I do, Edward. I can represent you and help you become a huge success."

"I don't know. I don't want you to think what happened last night was just to get you to be my agent. I honestly didn't have any intention of trying to steal you away from James."

"You didn't ask, I'm offering. And you're not stealing me from James. I'm leaving him in the dust while I still can. I'm done with him. Seriously, I want to help. You keep saying there was a reason for us meeting and maybe this was it. Maybe I'm supposed to help you become something even more amazing than you already are."

He smiled bashfully. "You think I'm amazing?" he asked.

I slapped him across the chest playfully. "Don't start getting cocky already," I warned making him laugh.

"If you're willing to help then I could really use it. I have no idea what I'm doing. I never thought this would actually happen," he chuckled.

"Let me take care of everything. You won't regret it."

"I would never regret anything where you're concerned," he promised.

"There is one problem, though," I warned wrapping my arms around his torso. He took me into his arms and rocked us back and forth.

"Oh, yeah, and what might that be?" he asked.

"I have a strict rule not to sleep with my clients," I explained.

He groaned holding me tighter in his arms. "We'll have to work something out."

I laughed, tightening my arms around him. "It's not really negotiable. It's kind of a rule all agents live by."

"No," he refused. "The deal's off, then. If you want to boss me around and make all my decisions for me when it's related to business, then I'm okay with that. However, I'm not willing to give you up. I want all of you every day, if you're willing to have me. Either we make something work or I'll find a different agent. There has to be someone out there willing to take me on. I'm not a hard person to please. I'm not going to sacrifice something amazing with you just for a better career."

I smiled at his honesty and determination to not sacrifice whatever was happening between us. "Let's make a resolution," I suggested with a smile. "Let's promise to keep our working relationship separate from our intimate relationship and figure out a happy medium between the two?"

He smiled acceptingly. "I can live with that."

"It's going to be difficult," I warned.

"I don't mind. I like hard work. I'll make it work if I get to keep you," he added causing me to blush.

I stood up on my tiptoes and gave him a small peck on the lips. "I'm willing if you are."

"I'm more than willing," he promised. "In the meantime, we still have an hour before we need to meet with Mr. Aro. Plenty of time for other things," he teased wagging his eyebrows. He picked me up and threw me over his shoulder making me scream with excitement, while he carried me to the bed all caveman style and laid me down.

As I laid there kissing Edward and thinking about how perfect this New Years had turned out compared to last year's, I came to the conclusion Edward was probably right all along. Resolutions can be a good thing if they're for the right reason.

**The End**

**Thanks for reading :)**


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